


the Art of Letting go

by Nessie (BnessZ)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Krolia Centric, Krolia POV, Krolia deserves a lot of love, M/M, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 15:39:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17531513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BnessZ/pseuds/Nessie
Summary: In which Krolia wants nothing more than to hold onto and protect Keith, but realizes that maybe, that isn't her job anymore





	the Art of Letting go

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kirinokisu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirinokisu/gifts).



> *pokes head in fandom door* he-hello? This is my first vld fic so hopefully I did it some sort of justice. Lightly based off of a tweet prompt from Ju~
> 
> BUT ANYWAYS
> 
> HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JU!!! She is a coffee demon but she is amazing and incredible and Beautiful and i love her lots and very much appreciate our friendship. She probably deserved a longer and better fic but...here's this. Go read all of her fics cuz her writing is some of the best. Really, honestly. I hope you enjoy this, Ju <3 
> 
> Also big thanks to [Adriana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xladysaya/pseuds/xladysaya) for reading this over!

It’s for the greater good, she tells herself. 

 

Although, looking down at the soft, sleeping face of her baby has Krolia hesitating. She wants nothing more than to hold him close, cradle him against her chest and keep him hidden and safe from it all.

 

But, as Krolia knows from experience, there are worse things than leaving. 

 

She bends down, presses a kiss on Keith’s face, and steels her nerve. Leaving will make the world—  the universe— better for Keith. Leaving means she can fulfill her mission and then come back and they can live happily. 

 

Her fingers trail down his cheek and she turns away before she can forget the touch. 

 

* 

 

Meeting Keith again is a curse disguised as a blessing. 

 

Krolia has no words to describe how happy she is to see him, but that also comes with fear and also  _ why, why is he caught up in all this? He was supposed to—   _

 

But Krolia soon learns that Keith is much like herself and his father. Steadfast and stubborn, a bit of a brat, but he’ll never back down from a challenge. Keith will face things as head on as needed. He’s a good fighter, a natural, and seems to know it. 

 

But then—  

 

She meets Shiro and does not miss the way Keith’s face softens, the way Shiro looks at him adoringly. Krolia’s eyes trace the way Shiro’s hand caresses Keith’s shoulder, how Keith smiles and introduces them. 

 

Korlia sees it all and the urge to hold onto Keith tighter and never again let go only intensifies. 

 

* 

 

It’s after the fall and Krolia has just heard that Keith is finally awake. 

 

She runs down the hospital halls, heart in her throat, but stops short when she hears voices. One of them is undeniably Keith’s, hoarse and low from lack of use. The other is warm, gentle and quiet, and Krolia peaks her head around the door and sees, to no surprise, Shiro. He sits gingerly on the edge of Keith’s bed, smiling so softly that Krolia feels her own heart squeeze. 

 

“I’m glad to see you okay.” 

 

“Mmm,” the lighting and angle makes it hard to see him, but Krolia imagines that Keith, in this moment, is as relaxed and vulnerable as he ever allows himself to be. “The tables have turned.” 

 

Shiro blinks before understanding dawns on his face and chuckles. “I suppose so.” 

 

Korlia is just thinking that maybe, maybe it would be okay to enter the room too, when Shiro lightly strokes Keith’s cheek before dropping his hand to his shoulder. “It’s almost over.” 

 

A tired sigh. “I know. And then—” 

 

A nurse brushes past Krolia, causing her to jump. “Time to check your vitals.” 

 

Shiro jumps away from the bed and Krolia remembers how to breathe, letting out a short laugh as she finally lets herself into the room.   

 

“He’s hard to take care of, isn’t he?” She says to the nurse, but her eyes are on Shiro, who pointedly looks away. 

 

“Mom,” Keith tries to groan, but it’s too lighthearted, and the smile he gives warms her from her head to her toes. 

 

Keith is okay. He’s okay and smiling at her and breathing and that’s all that matters. Still, she grabs his hand, squeezes it tight, and tries not to imagine letting it go. 

 

*

 

Krolia catches them kissing, once, just after the final battle is won, and it takes everything in her to walk away. 

 

* 

 

Krolia has her arms across her chest, staring at the man on the opposite side of the table. 

 

After a prolonged silence, she sighs. “Well?” 

 

Shiro looks up at her, flushes and looks away, but then he’s taking a deep breath and turning back with a steady gaze. “I know that in this day and age, this is a bit….untraditional, but,” he pauses. “Keith means everything to me.” 

 

Krolia inhales sharply. But Shiro is continuing before she can think to respond. 

 

“And I know that he is your son, your world, but I can’t imagine not being with him. So, I’d like, uh, I’d like if you would…” now he’s blushing a darker shade of red, sitting rigid with hands clasped together. “I’d like if you would give me your blessing. To marry him. I want to marry your son and devote myself to his happiness.” 

 

Krolia blinks, feels something surge through her stomach, warm tears pressing at her eyes, but then she laughs. She laughs so hard that she bends forward, raising a single finger at a very confused looking Shiro. “Sorry, sorry,” she gasps. “You’re just so…” she waves her hands around, as if that gives a proper answer. 

 

“As eloquent as your son, I see.” Shiro quips, still blushing, but his lips are tilted upwards. At least Krolia didn’t make him think she was mad. 

 

Krolia snorts. “He had to get it from somewhere.” She pauses, looks at Shiro again, the determination blazing in his eyes. It’s not like she hasn’t seen the pure devotion and affection over the years, it isn’t like she didn’t see this coming, but  _ still.  _

 

“I understand...that I’m asking a lot,” Shiro says. “But I meant every word I said and more. I promise I won’t let him or you down.”

 

“I know,” she whispers. Every mother must let go at some point, she knows, and she’s done it before. Shiro is a good man, a great man, and she knows that Keith trusts him more than anyone, probably more than he trusts even her. She knows that, but Keith is her heart and how can she just— “Of course you have my blessing, Shiro.” 

 

The look of pure bliss on his face, the way he surges forward and gives her a tight hug, has the tears finally spilling from her eyes. 

 

But it’s okay, Krolia thinks, because it’s not like letting go means goodbye. 

 

*

 

Krolia isn’t going to cry. 

 

She’s told herself this many times today. Chanted it, even, to which Kolivan laughed at her. “You will and that’s okay.” 

 

She hasn't yet, though. Not even when she helped Keith straighten out his suit and slick his hair back, not even when she tied the box of rings around Kosmo’s neck. Nothing has made her cry yet, even now, as she walks back to her seat. 

 

Keith is finally standing at the altar with Shiro. 

 

Krolia isn’t going to cry. 

 

Lance officiates with grand bravado, recounting stories that prove how Shiro and Keith were always meant to end up here (and if he throws in some heroic details about himself, not even Keith complains, not today, at least). The stars and candle lights overheard twinkle as vows are spoken. Keith’s about the stars always guiding him to Shiro, how Shiro’s orbit and gravitational pull is too great for him to ignore. Shiro’s about how Keith is so much more than even the universe, how he is every hope and dream and wish upon a shooting star that Shiro has ever had. How Keith saved Shiro, how Shiro saved Keith. And then, together, they say, “As many times as it takes,” and laugh. 

 

Krolia isn’t going to cry. 

 

Kosmo nuzzles them both as they reach for the rings, letting out a content noise. He doesn’t stray far, stays close as they solidify their I do’s with metal bands.

 

“Against all odds,” she hears Shiro whisper. 

 

“We’re here,” is Keith’s response. 

 

Krolia  _ isn’t going to cry.  _

 

They have their big, official kiss, everyone cheering and hollering. The reception starts and speeches are made, even by Krolia herself, dances are danced, hugs and kisses and well wishes are given. It is a fun night, happy and warm and everything they have needed after all they’ve done. 

 

Krolia hasn’t cried, and she’s about to leave. Kolivan is just commenting on her dry eyes when they stop. 

 

There, on the shore, feet in the waves, Shiro and Keith are dancing. It’s away from the music of the hall, away from the loud voices and laughter and glasses filled with alcohol. Away from even Kosmo. It is simply them, the water, and the stars above. They are close, so very close, and swaying slowly. It’s intimate and sweet and Krolia—  

 

“My dear,” Kolivan chuckles, “are you finally crying?” 

 

She smacks his stomach weakly and turns to walk away. “No,” she says, clearly around tears, “Shut up.” 

 

He laughs but follows after her, tucking her into his side, and Krolia finally understands that letting go can be a happy experience, something that leads to a beautiful beginning, rather than an end. 

 

Krolia is at peace and her son is happy and everything is as it should be. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Hope you liked it:3 
> 
> i very rarely talk about vld, but you can find me on [tweeter](https://twitter.com/starsoakedskin?s=09) if you want~


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